Exasperated with his friend, he was beside himself. “Why does he do such stupid things?” he asked no one. “What’s he thinking?” he continued.

I imagine the friends of this young man may have thought the same thing.

Somethings just don’t seem to make sense but all we wanna hear is something that does make sense. Unfortunately, too often we’re not really listening.

Listening Before Speaking

My friend Rachel wrote, “My therapist gives me goals for the week, two weeks ago it was to validate others opinions before speaking mine, and also validating the way that I feel. Doing that I could not believe the difference in my ability to hold a conversation. I had been realizing how much and how easy it was for me to step on peoples voices, when I realized that and how much I wanted people to hear me as well I was able to work on it.”

We Need To Listen Before Speaking

An ancient writer explained, “Anyone who answers without listening is foolish and confused. What a shame, what folly, to give advice before listening to the facts! Whoever gives an answer before he listens is stupid and shameful. Answering before listening is both stupid and rude.

The will to live can get you through sickness, but who can bear a crushed spirit? No one can live with a broken and crushed spirit. A healthy spirit conquers adversity, but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?” 1

The world needs good listeners. We need good listeners.

“Let’s be those good listeners,” is mysilentscream. We might just hear some hilarious reason why someone would stuff a big toad in their mouth!